Influenza
The Indiana Department of Health’s latest influenza update, covering the week March 19-25, reflected minimal levels of influenza-like illness statewide.
There have been 255 influenza-associated deaths in Indiana during the 2022-23 flu season; 192 of these deaths were people aged 65 and older. The duration of the 2022-23 flu season is determined by the corresponding Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reporting weeks. Reports of influenza for the 2022-23 flu season started Oct. 8, 2022.
Based on specimens tested by the IDOH Laboratory, the most common influenza strains circulating this season are H1N1 and H3N2.
Find locations offering the flu vaccine in Bloomington here.
[Related: IU health receives $500,000 donation for behavioral health services]
COVID-19
Monroe County reported seven COVID-19 cases and zero deaths for the week March 19-25.
Indiana reported 410 COVID-19 cases for the week ending March 25, down 30 from the previous week. There were three COVID-19-related deaths in Indiana for the week of March 19-25.
In January, President Joe Biden stated he would end the national emergency and public health emergency addressing COVID-19 on May 11, 2023. According to the Associated Press, ending the emergency declarations would treat the virus as an “endemic threat” and restructure federal COVID-19 responses. On March 29, Biden said he would not veto H.J. Res. 7, a measure to immediately end the COVID-19 emergencies, although he voiced opposition to the legislation. H.J Res. 7 passed the House on Feb. 1 in a 229-197 vote and passed the Senate on March 29 with a 68-23 vote.
In February, IU updated its COVID-19 testing program to focus exclusively on rapid antigen tests. IU Bloomington students, faculty and staff can now receive free rapid antigen tests from vending machines located in the Indiana Memorial Union basement and the center building in the McNutt Quad.
The Pfizer bivalent booster for ages 6 months to 4 years and the Moderna bivalent booster for ages 6 months to 5 years were approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in December 2022. The CDC now recommends eligible individuals 6 months and older receive an updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
In September 2022, the CDC endorsed the use of updated COVID-19 Pfizer boosters for individuals aged 12 years and older and Moderna boosters for individuals aged 18 years and older. According to the CDC, updated COVID-19 boosters better protect against Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
[Related: Indiana reports low levels of influenza, decrease in COVID-19 cases, one new mpox case]
Mpox
The IDOH has reported one new case of mpox since March 1. There have been 288 total mpox cases in Indiana reported since June 2022.
Nationwide, the CDC reported 30,286 total mpox cases in the U.S. since counting started in June 2022. There have been 38 total mpox-related deaths in the U.S.
In November, the World Health Organization announced it would be using the new preferred term “mpox” as a synonym for monkeypox. WHO stated both terms will be used simultaneously for a year in order to phase out the term “monkeypox.”
According to IDOH, the JYNNEOS mpox vaccine is recommended for people who have been exposed to mpox and individuals who may be more likely to get mpox. Individuals can search for a location to receive the mpox vaccine here.
Individuals interested in receiving an mpox vaccine can contact the Monroe County Public Health Clinic.
